Mechanical cleaning device



March 16, 1965 A. R. TARSEY 3,

MECHANICAL CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 15, 1962 9 6 ill l FIG. 1 3

D av 2 H 1 13 v E B I Q v C A V n V INVENT OR ALEXANDRE ROLF TARSEY BY @aZw ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,173,279 MECHANICAL CLEANING DEVTCE Alexandre Rolf Tarsey, Toledo, @hio (4702 Tarsey Drive, Tarzana, Calif.) Filed Feb. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 174,352 6 Claims. (G. 68-48) This invention relates to equipment used to treat clothing and other items with organic solvents for cleaning purposes, such as dry-cleaning and the cl aning of mechanical parts.

There is now on the market a variety of dry-cleaning equipment, including a number of machines suitable for use as coin operated machines. While such equipment may clean satisfactorily, it is, as a rule, large, complicated, and requires skilled operation, either in front of, or at a hidden part of the installation, so as to make it unsuitable for use as a household appliance. Furthermore, much of the equipment now in use has a tendency to damage delicate items, such as, for example, garments with sequins. Further, the dry-cleaning equipment now in use depends for its drying action on a stream of air which must be vented most carefully because it contains appreciable quantities of solvent. Still furthermore, the equipment now in use being big and complicated, is necessarily expensive.

To overcome these difficulties, clothing in need of dry-cleaning is now almost universally transported to a place where there is such a big dry-cleaning machine. Or else, especially in the case of cleaning mechanical parts, the cleaning process is carried out in the most primitive manner, i.e., in open vessels, as may readily be observed in many a garage.

It is the purpose of this invention to overcome these and other shortcomings of the equipment and processes known heretofore by providing a closed loop cleaning system in which no fluid communication to the outside is required during the operation thereof. It is another purpose of the invention to make practical the mechanical dry-cleaning of clothing and other items with a solvent in the home and in the Workshop. It is still another purpose of this invention to make it possible to distribute dry-cleaning machines as household appliances as readily as water softeners or washing machines. It is yet another purpose of this invention to clean delicate items which are readily damaged by tumbling, squeezing, and other manipulation by mechanical parts. And yet another purpose of this invention is the drying of the items so cleaned, drying in this connection meaning the adequate removal of solvent from the object cleaned.

These and other purposes of this invention will become apparent from the example described below in connection with the accompanying drawings.

One embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing of which FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of a treating vessel of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, and FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention. The actual shape of the vessels is not of prime importance, and the example is given only for purposes of illustration.

The equipment shown consists of a treating vessel 1, of suitable resistant material, for example an alloy containing nickel such as is readily selected by one skilled in the art of constructing dry-cleaning equipment, and which will depend to some degree on the solvent used. Said treating vessel 1 may be conveniently of the shape of a vertical cylinder, and be provided with a cone shaped bottom 2 and a battle insert 3 having many perforations 4. If desired, this insert 3 may be constructed so as to be removable conveniently. Said treating vessel 1 is sufficiently flanged to accommodate an O ring 5 of a suitable solvent resistant elastomer. Said treating vessel 1 is also provided with a lid 6, attached by means of a hinge 7 so as to permit it to swing into. proper position. Said hinge 7 is further provided with a catch 8, so as to be able to keep the apparatus tightly closed until said catch 8 is released. Although the use or" an 0 ring is not essential, a vacuum tight seal is essential. Vacuum tightness of a mechanical seal is, of course, a relative term. For purposes of this invention it may be defined as the absence of leaks of such magnitude as would interfere with the proper functioning of the apparatus. The lid 6 is furthermore provided with a bleeder 9 which may be a valve of the type which is held open manually and closes itself by means of a spring. The purpose of said bleeder is to break the vacuum when the cleaning process is completed so that the lid 6 may be opened. It is evident that a more complicated catch 8 may be constructed, for example one permitting simultaneous release of said latch 8 and said bleeder, or one which interlocks with the power supply of the compressor pump 11 discussed below, so that the compressor pump cannot operate when the latch is not closed, or vice versa, but these refinements are not the essence of the invention.

The above described treating vessel is used in conjunction with a second vessel 1%, used as a solvent storage tank, a mechanical compressor pump 11 of adequate capacity, and if desired a so called filter 12, as well as one or more safety valves 13, which should by all means be incorporated into the assembly. The manner in which these components are connected to one another by means of air tight connecting tubes is shown schematically in FIGURE 2, together with the valves A, B, C, D, and E opening and closing these tubes. It is possible to make modifications in the manner of running these tubes, or lines. For example, an additional line may be run from near the top of the treating vessel 1 to the compressor pump 11, as long as this line is provided with a valve, or as another example, valve B may be replaced by a suitable checkvalve; such modifications are to be considered to be within the scope of this invention.

The compressor pump 11 mentioned above can be a rotary positive displacement compressor, but other pumps may also be used, provided they can pull sufficient vacuum, have sulficient capacity, and do not contaminate the solvent. The vacuum obtainable must be sufi'icient to cause the solvent to boil at room temperature, i.e., less than of an atmosphere of absolute pressure at room temperature if carbon tetrachloride is used as solvent and less than of an atmosphere in the case of perchloroethylene. The volumes that must be pumped are large: One pound of saturated carbon tetrachloride vapor will occupy at room temperature more than 15 cubic feet, while a pound of saturated perchloroethylene takes up over cubic feet, in the vapor form. A load of clothing dripping wet with solvent readily holds a number of pounds thereof, multiplying the number of cubic feet of vapor to be handled during one drying cycle.

The solvent used is preferably carbon tetrachloride, or perchlorethylene. Trichloroethylene will work equally well, but is well known to bleed some dyestuffs, especially on acetate fibers. Organic solvents, such as Stoddard solvents will work equally well, but will leave a residue of highboilers unless these are removed previously, and also constitute a fire hazard. Kerosene is not suitable.

The filter, if used, may contain a porous barrier for the removal of lint and other mechanical parts, as well as absorbent material such as charcoal or commercial clays for decoloration, and alkalis for the neutralization of acid impurities. The said filter 12 should be provided with a by-pass incorporating a check-valve, as shown in, FIG- URE 2.

The operation of the device of the invention is carried out as follows:

Step 1.-All valves being closed and the compressor pump 11 not functioning, the items to be cleaned are placed into the treating vessel 1.

Step 2.-The lid 6 is closed and held locked by the catch 8. The bleeder 9, if not self-closing, must also be closed.

Step 3.The valves A and B are opened and the compressor pump 11 is started so as to evacuate the treating vessel 1. It is evident that the apparatus must be constructed so as to obtani a system free of objectionable leaks. When the treating vessel has been evacuated the valves A and B are closed again, and the compressor is stopped, if desired.

Step 4.Valve C is now opened so as to allow the solvent to be drawn from the storage tank 19 into the treating vessel 1, causing the items to be treated .to be wetted thoroughly. This wetting process is aided by the partial vacuum which eliminates the entrapment of major quantities of air, especially when solid parts are being cleaned.

Step 5.When sufficient time has elapsed for all the solvent needed to enter the treating vessel, the valve D is also opened. This causes the air vapor mixture from the top of the storage tank 10 to be drawn into the bottom 2 of treating vessel 1. It is important that the line containing said valve D be of sufiicient diameter (preferably no less than A of an inch) to cause vigorous agitation as the air-vapor mixture enters vessel 1, the bubbles being desirable to lift, move about, or agitate the items to be cleaned, eliminating the need for revolving drums or agitating arms and their inherent problems with respect to seals, leaks, and damage to the material to be cleaned. Agitation by ultrasonic means, on the other hand, need not be ruled out. While not necessary to the satisfactory operation of the device of the invention, it does constitute an improvement which speeds up the operating cycle, and improves the cleanliness achieved without introducing troublesome shaft seals.

As the air-vapor mixture bubbles into the treating vessel, 1, it begins to replace the solvent which drains back by gravity into the storage tank 10 through the line containing valve C, causing further motion of the solvent with respect to the items being cleaned. Said line should be about as large as the one containing valve D. It is important that both of said lines are connected to the bottom 2 of vessel 1 in such a manner that air bubbles will not be drawn into the line containing valve C so as to cause a vapor lock.

Step 6.--If the cleaning action obtained up to this point is inadequate, as it will be if really soiled clothing is treated without ultrasonic means of agitation, then valves C and D are closed again after the vessel 1 has drained, and valves B and E are opened. The compressor pump 11 is then started to again evacuate the treating vessel 1, so as to create therein a partial vacuum. Valves B and E are now closed again, and the compressor pump stopped. At this point STEPS 3 and 4 are repeated. This entire repetitive operation, listed here as STEP 6 may be carried out as often as necessary. In practice it will be found that four or five filling and draining cycles will clean a typical assortment of clothing adequately.

Step 7.The treating vessel 1 having been drained of solvent liquid at the end of STEPS or 6, all the valves are closed except B and E, which are opened. The compressor pump 11 is now allowed to evacuate the treating vessel 1. It will be found that this will cause the removal not only of air-vapor mixture but also of solvent liquid as it drains off the items being cleaned. Further, continued pumping will cause the remaining liquid to vaporize and to be removed from treating vessel 1 as a vapor. 1

Step 8.Although it is perfectly feasible to allow said pumping action to continue until sufficient solvent has been removed from treating vessel 1 and from the articles therein, it will be found in practice that this process is slow, because said pumping action causes the solvent to boil which appears to result in an appreciable lowering of the temperature and vapor pressure of the residual solvent. For this reason it is preferable to accelerate the drying action by opening valve D intermittently so as to allow air to return from the storage tank 10 to vessel 1. Since this air is saturated with solvent vapor at the temperature of the storage vessel 19, such air must be warmed before being returned to treating tank 1. This is readily accomplished by paralleling and bringing into thermal contact with one another the tubes containing valves D and B, respectively, inasmuch as the line leading from the compressor pump 11 to the storage tank 10' gets hot.

Step 9.When the vessel has been evacuated until no more liquid solvent remains, and the pressure is sufiiciently low, then all valves are closed and the compressor pump 11 is stopped. The vacuum may now be broken by operation of the bleeder 9, the lid 6 opened, and the items being treated are ready for removal.

It may be noted that this invention minimizes objectionable residual solvent odors, and that there is no need for a major ventilation installation; but the safety valve 13 preferably, however, should be vented to the outdoors because this valve will open should valve A or E fail to open at the proper time or should the lid 6 be not tightly closed, thereby allowing air to leak into the apparatus, building up pressure therein.

It may also be noted that the operation of the invention calls for the repeated manipulation of valves. In order to make said operation more convenient, these valves, together with the compressor pump 11 should preferably be operated on a time cycle, in a manner well known in the construction of automatic household ap pliances.

It may furthermore be noted that the invention makes no provision for purification of the solvent by distillation. Although a distillation device could be added it is expected that the invention will find application primarily in the home or the workshop Without provisions for distillation, the solvent tank and filter being serviced from time to time by someone operating a commercial distillation unit.

What the inventor has disclosed and what is claimed is the following:

1. A device for dry cleaning comprising an air tight cleaning chamber,

a cleaning solvent tank,

a first line connecting the bottom end of said cleaning chamber to the bottom portion of said tank,

a second line connecting the bottom portion of said cleaning chamber to the top of said tank,

a vacuum pump,

a third line connecting the input of said pump to said cleaning chamber,

a fourth line connecting the output of said pump to the top of said tank,

a fifth line connecting the output of said pump to the ambient air, and

a separate control valve interposed in each of said lines.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said cleaning chamber has a battle with apertures formed therein covering the bottom portion thereof and a sealing lid at the top portion thereof.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 and additionally including a filter unit interposed in said first line.

4. In a device for dry cleaning,

an air tight cleaning chamber having a sealing lid at one end thereof, the other end of said chamber being substantially cone shaped, the apex of the cone being at the extremity of said chamber, said chamber further having a perforated bafile mounted therein across the base portion of said cone,

a cleaning solvent supply tank, said tank being sub stantially sealed,

means for providing fluid communications between the top of said tank and said other end of said chamber,

means for providing fluid communications between the bottom end of said tank and said other end of said chamber,

pump means for evacuating gas from said chamber,

means for connecting the input of said pump means to said chamber,

means for connecting the output of said pump means to the ambient air, and

means for connecting the output of said pump means to the top of said tank.

5. The device as recited in claim 4 and additionally including separate control valve means interposed in said means for providing fluid communications and each of said connecting means for selectively controlling the fluid flow therein.

6. The device as recited in claim 4 wherein said means for providing fluid communications from the bottom end of said tank includes a filter unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 11,620 Le Blois July 13, 1897 426,828 Lorimer Apr. 29, 1890 614,868 Hunter Nov. 29, 1898 630,293 Maertens Aug. 1, 1899 1,172,296 Lester Feb. 22, 1916 11,410,230 Wagner Mar. 21, 1922 1,713,979 Redmond May 21, 1929 1,776,190 Mishaw Sept. 16, 1930 1,843,657 Welles Feb. 2, 1932 2,011,083 Sando Aug. 13, 1935 2,495,295 Spanier Jan. 24, 1950 2,555,268 Chamberlin May 29, 1951 2,639,599 Wellford May 26, 1953 2,868,005 Johnson Jan. 13, 1959 

1. A DEVICE FOR DRY CLEANING COMPRISING AN AIR TIGHT CLEANING CHAMBER, A CLEANING SOLVENT TANK, A FIRST LINE CONNECTING THE BOTTOM END OF SAID CLEANING CHAMBER TO THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID TANK, A SECOND LINE CONNECTING THE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID CLEANING CHAMBER TO THE TOP OF SAID TANK, A VACUUM PUMP, A THIRD LINE CONNECTING THE INPUT OF SAID PUMP TO SAID CLEANING CHAMBER, A FOURTH LINE CONNECTING THE OUTPUT OF SAID PUMP TO THE TOP OF SAID TANK, A FIFTH LINE CONNECTING THE OUTPUT OF SAID PUMP TO THE AMBIENT AIR, AND A SEPARATE CONTROL VALVE INTERPOSED IN EACH OF SAID LINES. 